Which place is cheaper, Ilha Grande or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Ilha Grande?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Ilha Grande? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Puerto Iguazu or Ilha Grande?
Puerto Iguazu
Puerto Iguazu is located in the northeastern part of Argentina at the border with Paraguay and Brazil. It is a tourist city and travel destination because of its close proximity to Iguazu Falls, which is only 18 kilometers away. Much of the city's infrastructure has grown to maintain the tourist crowds that come to see the falls. The town itself has a population of slightly over 80,000.
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best 3-Day Tours from Manaus, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Brazil.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesIlha Grande Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $59Ilha Grande $85
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $59, while the average daily cost in Ilha Grande is $85. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Puerto Iguazu and Ilha Grande in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $42Ilha Grande $37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $84Ilha Grande $74
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Ilha Grande
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Ilha Grande? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Puerto Iguazu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.22Ilha Grande $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Wanda Mines Guided Tour with Transfer / From Iguassu Falls: $56
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $14
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $8.00
- Falls Package Both Sides with Transfers: $160
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $21
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $23
- Puerto Iguazu Airport (IGR) Private Transfer to Puerto Iguazu: $27
- Puerto Iguazú: Jungle Fly Adventure with Transfers: $166
- Puerto Iguazú Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $22
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $85
- Private Transfer to or from Puerto Iguazu Airport IGR: $40
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $83
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $51
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
- Departure private transfer from Costa do Sol to Rio GIG Airport: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Ilha Grande?
Prices for flights to both Ilha Grande and Puerto Iguazu change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayPuerto Iguazu $6.59Ilha Grande $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $34
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $36
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $75
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $75
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner: $125
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $130
- Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls - no transfers -: $152
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
- FD Iguazu Falls Argentinian side + Dinner Tango Show -no transfer: $211
- Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $232
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $244
- Iguazu Falls: Argentina Side Tour with Dinner & Tango Show: $278
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $35Ilha Grande $6.72
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2Day Iguazu Tour HELICOPTER Ride & Airfare from Buenos Aires: $1,290
- 3-Day Iguazu Falls Exploring Tour From Argentina and Brazil: $289
- Argentine Falls Package with Great Adventure and Brazilian Falls: $275
- Argentinean Falls with Gran Aventura Boat Tour: $261
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side From Puerto Iguazú Hotels - Private Tour: $145
- Brazilian Side of Iguassu Falls and Itaipu Dam Full-Day Sightseeing Tour from Puerto Iguazú: $96
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
- Brazilian Side of the Falls - All Tickets Included: $77
- City Tour Puerto Iguazu Belmond Hotel das Cataratas: $135
- City Tour in Iguassu from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $90
- DAYTOUR Iguacu Falls Brazil and Argentina PRIVATE: $98
- Explore Iguazu Falls in Brazil: An Unforgettable Experience: $44
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- A tour of the paradisiacal islands of Angra dos Reis.: $75
- Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $84
- Angra Islands Speedboat Tour from Paraty: $65
- Angra Paradise Islands Speedboat Tour: $90
- Angra Super Blue Lagoon Speedboat Tour: $80
- Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $75
- Angra dos Reis Lagoons Shared Speedboat Tour: $88
- Angra dos Reis Speedboat Shared Tour: $101
- Boat Adventure in the Paradise Islands of Angra dos Reis: $110
- Boat Adventure through the Super Blue Lagoon in Angra dos Reis: $110
- Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $20
- Boat Tour of the Paradise Islands of Angra: $94
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $8.22Ilha Grande $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Ilha Grande, we can see that Ilha Grande is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Iguazu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Puerto Iguazu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Iguazu and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Ilha Grande would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ilha Grande than you might in Puerto Iguazu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Iguazu Expensive? and Is Ilha Grande Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.